Visitors
by SassyPancham
Summary: An imprisoned Bellwether receives four unexpected visitors.
1. Prolouge

Located in the outskirts of Savannah Square was Zootopia Correctional Center, where the law-breakers of the mammal metropolis serve time for their misdeeds. Their most recent inmate is Dawn Bellwether, the former mayor of the city preceding Leodore Lionheart.

At first, Bellwether seemed like a kind-hearted, trustworthy, and hard-working little sheep, but it turned out she had an evil prejudice against predators, and wanted to drive the species away by spreading fear and discrimination throughout the city.

Her concealed actions caused 14 mammals to go missing, and many prey and unaffected predators received critical injuries from savage maulings. She even attempted to murder Zootopia's finest police officer, Judy Hopps. Bellwether nearly succeeded, until Hopps and her fox partner Nick Wilde tricked her.

For her crimes, Bellwether had been sentenced to life behind bars with no guarantee of parole. Astounding for a _sheep_ , considering a handful of the inmates are predators more than three times her size with lesser sentences.

Months passed, and despite arriving at the prison defeated and embittered, she slowly started to feel pity and remorse for what she did.

Little did she expect to get were visitors...and her first one had arrived.


	2. Otterton

Two guards, a tiger and a bull, escorted Bellwether from her cell to the prison's visitor center. There were multiple booths in use, with inmates briefly reunited with their loved ones, though separated by a thick glass window and a telephone as their only means of communication. One booth was open, and it was for her. The sheep sighed and approached it.

Bellwether scrambled onto the tall stool and saw who it was on the other side. To her surprise, it was Mrs. Otterton, and she didn't look too pleased. Bellwether picked up the phone and gently pressed it against her ear.

"H-hello, Mrs. Otterton..." Bellwether winced.

"Dawn." Otterton sternly greeted the sheep.

There was a brief silence.

"What brings you-" Bellwether begun to ask, but Otterton raised her paw, immediately silencing the sheep.

"It took every ounce of courage for me to come to this dreadful place today." Otterton said, "And I came to ask you...why?"

Bellwether was speechless. She wanted to respond with "Why what?" but she had a pretty good idea what Otterton meant.

"W-why did you _lie_ to me?" Otterton's voice cracked as her eyes started to water.

Mrs. Otterton's husband Emmitt was one of the 14 mammals who went savage and missing.

"I..." Bellwether's eyes started to water as well, seeing how much she hurt the poor otter.

"You held my paws..." Otterton sniffled, "And you assured me my Emmitt would be found, but _you_ were responsible for his disappearance all along...a-and..."

"Mrs. Otterton, I..." Bellwether tried to speak again, but couldn't bring herself to finish.

"And you turned him into that _monster_!" Otterton blinked her tears away; she was furious now, "And for what?"

Guilt-ridden, Bellwether only stared at the otter. She was unarmed. No words of comfort, retort, or reason whatsoever.

"Say something, Dawn!" Otterton demanded.

"I was...tired of being treated unkindly as prey." Bellwether admitted on the spot, though she knew it wasn't justified.

"So, you resorted to spreading fear, violence, and discrimination?" Otterton asked, "That was your _only_ choice?"

Bellwether remained silent.

"I trusted you, Dawn." Otterton said, "I thought you were one of the sweetest, most supportive mammals in all of Zootopia."

Bellwether only sniffled.

"But really, you're just cold, bitter, and manipulative."

Bellwether gasped slightly. Those words stung hard, but they were true. Otterton wasn't finished however.

"You almost ruined a perfect city. I almost lost my husband, _my children_ almost lost a father, and so many innocent mammals nearly died because of you." Otterton continued. She took a deep breath, "I hope you are _NEVER_ paroled!"

A single tear ran down Bellwether's cheek, "Mrs. Otterton, I'm so-"

"Goodbye, Dawn." Otterton snapped before she hung up the phone and quickly exited the visitor center.

Emmitt was waiting for her at the door. As he comforted his wife, the male otter gazed in contempt at Bellwether from across the room.

"Are you finished here, Bellwether?" The tiger guard asked.

"Y-yes." Bellwether slowly hung up her phone, "You can take me back now."

The guards escorted Bellwether back to her cell, where she spent the remainder of the day quietly sobbing.

"I'm so sorry, Mrs. Otterton..." She whispered.


	3. Lionheart

About two weeks after confronting Mrs. Otterton, Bellwether received a second visitor. She was escorted back to the visitor center where she met a familiar, towering face on the other side of the glass.

It was former mayor of Zootopia Leodore Lionheart, except he wasn't wearing his usual suit. He was wearing a gray turtleneck sweater (the neck portion buried underneath his mane, of course). It was the only casual attire she has ever seen him in. In unison, the lion and sheep picked up their respective phones.

"Hello, Bellwether." Lionheart greeted with his gruff voice.

"Mayor." Bellwether nodded.

"Actually, I'm not the mayor...anymore." Lionheart frowned.

Lionheart explained that in the aftermath of Bellwether's arrest, a lengthy trial centering his secretive detainment of the savaged mammals was held. Because Lionheart's actions technically kept the city safe, he was pleaded not guilty and spared a prison sentence, but was forced to resign from office for his dishonesty.

"Wow, I'm...sorry to hear that." Bellwether replied.

"No you're not." Lionheart didn't hesitate, "Don't pretend you're sorry when you purposely destroyed my career. Officer Hopps told everyone all about how you led her to Cliffside Asylum during the trial."

"I'm not one to talk, but what you did _was_ illegal." Bellwether stated, "Even if it wasn't me who led Judy and that fox to Cliffside you-"

"Listen, I did _what I did_ to protect Zootopia!" Lionheart raised his voice, "And it's about time everyone realized that...even if it costed my job. I couldn't just let those savaged mammals run wild and maim the innocent. The savaged mammals _YOU_ created behind my back. I'm betting you planned on shooting me with one of those...Night Howler serums Hopps went on about!"

Bellwether paused. It was no use arguing with him. "You're right."

Lionheart took a deep breath to calm himself. A wolf guard approached him.

"Sir, I need you to refrain from yelling." The guard requested, "If it continues, I'll have to remove you from the-"

"Forgive me, officer." Lionheart said, "I'm trying my best to control my temper."

Bellwether frowned as Lionheart's attention returned to her.

"A new election is being held." Lionheart changed the subject, "Apparently some sloth from the DMV is running. A sloth _running_ , how's that possible?"

The lion released a mighty laugh, but the sheep remained stone-faced. Lionheart may be gruff and impatient, but he still had a sense of humor.

"Why are you _really_ here, Lionheart?" A testy Bellwether asked.

"I'm here to tie up a loose end with you." Lionheart admitted.

"W-what?" Bellwether raised an eyebrow.

"Look, it's come to my understanding that the reason you started that prey-supremacy stunt was because you were fed up with my 'supposed' mistreatment of you."

"Took you this long?" Bellwether rolled her eyes. However, it wasn't necessarily the only reason for her wrongdoing.

"Bellwether, I _never_ took you for granted."

Bellwether glared at the lion. She wanted to strangle the predator with all her might.

"You never showed any appreciation for me!" She hissed.

"I KNOW!" Lionheart boomed. He took another deep breath, "I know..." He repeated calmly. "It appeared that way, yes. I've shouted at you, been rudely dismissive, and piled paperwork after paperwork on you, but that never mean't you were worthless." The lion continued, "Assistant mayor was an equally important position to mine, and I honestly don't know how I would've survived in office without you. You were so...dependable."

Realizing how genuinely remorseful and appreciative Lionheart was suddenly being, Bellwether loosened her rage and gazed at the lion in pity. Lionheart truly cared about her after all. Bellwether felt even more awful having caused all of Zootopia so much panic.

"I'm sorry..." Bellwether winced, "For _real_ this time. I'm sorry for everything."

"Me too." Lionheart replied.

The sheep smiled slightly. Lionheart smiled back.

"Hang in there, Bell...Dawn."

Lionheart hung up the phone and exited the visitor center.

During her time at prison, visitors were one thing that Bellwether least expected. Even more so, making amends with an enemy.


	4. Hopps and Wilde

It wasn't a good week for Bellwether. A new inmate had arrived; a polar bear, and he just so happened to be the brother of one who went missing during the conspiracy spearheaded by the sheep herself. No doubt the bear presumably from Tundra Town had a bone to pick with Bellwether. Things got heated in the prison cafeteria one day, and to make a long story short, Bellwether got out with a black eye. It could've been a lot worse, but the guards came to her rescue in the knick of time.

The following day after her injury, Bellwether was resting in her cell until she heard the bars unlock.

"Bellwether, you've got another visitor." said a rhino guard who opened her cell, "Excuse me, _visitors_."

"More than one?" Bellwether asked herself.

Intrigued, Bellwether was escorted to the visitor center once again, and across the glass were the very two police officers who put her away; the rabbit and fox duo, Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde. The amount of surprise Bellwether felt was indescribable, though she felt slightly relieved at the same time. She climbed the stool and grabbed the phone, as did Judy on the other side.

"Judy…hi." Bellwether greeted quietly.

"Hello, Mayor Bel-" Judy paused, "D-dawn."

"WHOA!" Nick exclaimed, "What happened to your eye, Yakkity Yak?"

"Nick!" Judy elbowed the fox with a glare, "Stop it!"

"Come on, Carrots. I was just-"

"No, no." Bellwether waved her hand, "It's…fine. Just a run-in with a…with a bear. His brother was…one of the missing mammals. I'm okay, really."

"Are you sure?" Judy studied the black eye, "It looks pretty bad."

"Don't worry about it, Judy." The sheep gently rubbed the bruising on her face. "I'm surprised you're even here. I tried to…kill you…I tried to turn Nick savage on you."

"I'm not one to hold grudges." Judy replied, "At least not anymore. Truthfully, I never had any intention to visit you, until I happened upon Mrs. Otterton."

"Oh." Bellwether winced.

Roughly two months ago, Mrs. Otterton visited the sheep, and she was far less than kind to her.

"She said some things about you." Judy said. "They were rather nasty, it's unlike her."

 _"You're just cold, bitter, and manipulative."_

Otterton's voice echoed in Bellwether's head.

 _"I hope you NEVER get paroled!"_

"I deserved it." Bellwether replied.

Judy and Nick exchanged looks. The former con-artist shrugged slightly, and the rabbit solemnly nodded in agreement. Bellwether was where she belonged, but that hardly mean't Judy and Nick had no sympathy in store for her.

"Well, she's not wrong, Carrots." Nick whispered, "She was off the chain."

"Yeah, I know." Judy frowned as she covered the phone's receiver with her paw, "I can't blame Mrs. Otterton, she and her kids almost lost Emmitt. B-but I just..."

"All I have to blame is myself." Bellwether sobbed.

Judy's astounding hearing sense caught this and she pressed the phone back against her ear.

"Dawn, please don't cry." Judy begged.

"How could I do such a thing, Judy?" Bellwether asked.

"You were just confused." Judy said, "I know how bad Lionheart treated you, but-"

"It wasn't just Lionheart." Bellwether interrupted, "You know what a group of predators did to me when I was a lamb?"

Judy went wide-eyed and gazed back at Nick, who was equally as appalled yet intrigued and moved in closer to listen in on the phone's receiver.

"One day during recess at school, they cornered me in the playground and sheered all the wool from my head." Bellwether explained, "They…weren't gentle, too. It hurt _so_ much; I was bleeding. Everyone laughed at me. Shouted 'She's BA-AAAAAAAAA-ld!'" She mimicked the sound her species normally makes.

"Dawn…" Judy cooed, "I…never knew."

"Ever since I hated all predators with the burning passion." Bellwether finished. "And I spent the majority of my childhood up into adulthood coming up with the Night Howler scheme that nearly ruined the city."

Judy frowned. She understood how the ewe felt, being that she had a similar experience when she was child. However, resorting to crime was less than excusable.

"H-hey Nick?" Judy turned to her partner, "Could I speak to Dawn alone?"

"Of course, Carrots." Nick smiled, "Take all the time you need."

The fox waved the sheep farewell before leaving the visitor center.

"Dawn, when I was little, I was bullied by a fox…other than Nick, I mean. His name was Gideon." Judy began, "One day at the fair, Gideon stole some prey's game tickets and I tried to get them back, but he shoved me to the ground and cut my cheek with his claws. I've never been more terrified."

"Oh, Judy…" Bellwether sighed.

"I got the tickets back from him." Judy continued, "But I distrusted foxes for the longest time after that, and it really bit me in the tail later. I almost lost Nick as a friend. Shortly after I resigned, I ran into Gideon. I found out he changed for the better. He's a professional baker and a business partner of my family. He apologized for how he treated me and I forgave him."

Bellwether remained silent.

"I'm confident that if you encountered those predators who hurt you as a lamb, they've most likely grown up, found a career and…maybe even have a family who they desperately tried to protect from fear and hate during your crusade."

Bellwether sighed, "Yeah…"

"Look, the judge sentenced you to life without chance of parole." Judy continued. "But I can try an appeal."

"W-what?" Bellwether was speechless.

"Dawn, you need to serve time for what you did, but looking at you now, you _don't_ really belong here…at least for life. Which is why I'm gonna submit an appeal to have you paroled hopefully within the next 5 or 10 years."

"Judy, you don't hav-"

"No, no." Judy interrupted, "I want to help you, however long it takes for you to return to society. I wish I knew how you felt about predators sooner, that way I could've before you ended up in this terrible place."

"Judy, thank you." Bellwether sniffled, "I'm so sorry for everything I did…to the city…to Mrs. Otterton…to you…"

"You're welcome." Judy smiled, "But we can't keep our hopes up, and it may cause a controversial stir throughout the city, but I'm willing to take this risk to help you reform. It's what you _truly_ deserve."

"I appreciate it." Bellwether smiled back at the rabbit.

"Good luck, Dawn." Judy gently placed her paw on the glass.

Slowly, Bellwether pressed her hand on the glass opposite of Judy's.

"Goodbye, Judy."


End file.
